Greetings Fellow Consortium Members and Supporters,
Whilst little actual construction work has taken place since our last Update in October last year, due to it being the Wet Season in Timor Leste, much planning has occurred and we can report that ten (10) new locations have been identified for 5,500Ltr Galvanised Water Tanks and that these have been ordered and paid for from Timor Roofing and Training in Baucau.
Due to shipping delays and a shortage of material from Blue Scope Steel in Australiia, these Water Tanks are not expected to be ready for delivery until June this year.
In the meantime, quotations have been accepted for four (4) more three cubicle school and community Toilet Buildings, three in the Baguia region and one at Saibada in the neighbouring district of Manatuto. As with other recent Toilet Buildings these will be constructed entirely by local villagers using skills acquired from previous construction work.
In our last Update (copy enclosed) we provided a new Post Covid budget for 20 Water Tanks and 10 new Toilet Buildings and advised of the need to raise an additional AUD $95,000.
Since then, I am pleased to advise that we have received payment of an AUD $6,000 Rotary District 9800 Grant and have received AUD $ $16,500 from other Rotary Clubs and generous individuals.
The District 9800 Grants Committee is most supportive of our efforts in Timor Leste which are now too large for any further District Grants but they have encouraged us to apply for a Global Grant from Rotary Internatinal in the United States and we are now investigating how best to go about this.
Bruce Hurley from the Lakes Entrance Rotary Club has formed the East Gippsland Friends of Timor Leste (EGFTL) and this group is keen to support projects in the Baguia and Manatuto regions of Timor Leste.
However, this still leaves us with a budget shortfall of AUD $72,500 at present and we are appealing particularly to Rotary Clubs to pass this Fundraising Appeal on to their incoming International Chairpersons and Club Presidents for their consideration when drawing up their Club Budgets for the 2023-2024 Rotary year.
To this end we are appealing to Consortium Members to renew their previous financial contributions by making fresh donations to the Project's Special Account in the name of the "Timor Rotary Consortium" at the Bendigo Bank BSB 633-000 Account No. 162587430 or to RAWCS (Rotary Australia World Community Service) Project No. 8-2020-21 where donations become Tax Deductile
We take this opportunity to thank you most sincerely for your past support and hope that this will continue this coming year for this most worthwhile Project.
We also take the opportunity to advise a change in our roles of Project Manager and Deputy Project Manager as shown below.
Please let us know if there is anyone else that you would like us to include in our Email Address List
With Kindest Regards
Vijay Susarla
Project Manager
0410 619 323
John Walmsley
Deputy Project manager
0412 516 445
